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Corn shocks NJ man by sprouting 20-plus cobs. It could be a world record

A Deptford man believes a cornstalk growing in his vegetable garden could qualify for a world record.

It started "exploding" with ears a few weeks ago, and has 28 at last count, said Matt Jacovelli.

"I started counting the cobs. It was more than I've ever seen in my lifetime," he said.

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Matt Jacovelli marvels at the cornstalk that sprouted in his vegetable garden after squirrels buried some seeds. The cornstalk has grown about 28 cobs.(Photo: Sheri Berkery/Courier-Post)

The current Guinness World Record for "the most corn cobs on a single plant" is 16, set by a farmer's grandson in Swedesburg, Iowa, in 2009.

Jacovelli admits he's no farmer. He doesn't even take credit for planting the corn.

"I feed the birds and rabbits and squirrels. The squirrels carried the seed all around my house and buried it," he said. "So the squirrels actually planted it. It's grown so fast, it's just gotten out of hand."

Rabbits and other critters have gnawed on the Jacovellis' tomato plants but they've left the cornstalk untouched. The corn plant was also immune to the bug spray Matt Jacovelli used around the tomatoes.

Jacovelli, who did maintenance for the Washington Township School District and floor-covering installation before retiring, does have one connection to agriculture: He grew up in rural Winslow.

"It was all farmland when I was a kid," he said. "When I was young, I used to work picking tomatoes and sweet potatoes."

Ears start to pop

Matt Jacovelli, along with his wife, Virginia, and daughter, Jean, who lives next door to her folks, have gotten a kick out of watching their cornstalk grow.

In July, Virginia posed playfully for a photo behind the cornstalk, which at that point only had three stalks.

Virginia Jacovelli poses for a fun photo with the cornstalk that sprouted in her garden. In July, the plant had three ears ... but that was just the start of it.(Photo: Provided)

"We were even joking, we were like, there's three of us in our family, we can all have an ear," said Jean, a nurse with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Little did they know the cornstalk would soon be able to supply enough cobs for the whole neighborhood.

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Jean Jacovelli inspects the height of a cornstalk at her parents' Deptford home with her father, Matt Jacovelli. But the most impressive thing about the cornstalk is the number of cobs it has: 28 at Jean's last count. Sheri Berkery/Courier-Post

A cornstalk in Deptford was cited for having 29 ears by a Rutgers agricultural agent. But things got even more official when Guinness said the cornstalk set a world record for most cobs on a single corn plant. Provided

So many cobs of corn burst from a Deptford cornstalk, it set a Guinness world record. Rutgers Agricultural Agent Michelle Infante-Casella said the 29 ears were tightly packed around the main stalk. Provided

Michelle Infante-Casella, an agricultural agent with Rutgers Cooperative Extension in Gloucester County, visited the Deptford home of Matt Jacovelli to verify the number of cobs on his cornstalk. Infante-Casella counted 29 cobs, which could break a Guinness world record. Provided

An agent with Rutgers Cooperative extension verified a Deptford family's cornstalk had 29 cobs. The family has has applied to Guinness World Records, contending their cornstalk beats the current record of 16 cobs, set in Iowa. Provided

The Jacovelli family - Jean (from left) and her parents Virginia and Matt - proudly display the certificate their cornstalk received from Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County. Armed with proof of 29 cobs, the Deptford family has applied for a Guinness World Record. Provided

Broken record?

Rachel Gluck, public relations manager for Guinness World Records North America in New York, said she couldn't share complete guidelines for the corn cob record, as that's part of the confidential application process, but she did detail a few of the main criteria:

The record is measured by the number of corn cobs.

A corn cob is defined as the central core of an ear of maize, where the kernels grow.

The cobs must be counted by a specialist independent witness with relevant expertise, such as a botanist or agricultural scientist.

The Iowa man who currently holds the corn cob record said he planted a few kernels of Pioneer brand seed, and used Miracle Gro fertilizer.

Matt Jacovelli proudly noted he hasn't used any chemicals on his cornstalk, which grew from Tractor Supply Producer's Pride seed.

"My wife usually waters it now and then," he said.

Virginia tends to the cornstalk when she waters her lilies and other flowers, and like Matt, laughs when asked if she considers herself a gardener. But she's enjoying the unusual crop.

"I think it's all very interesting," she said.

If he were to break the record, Matt said, "It would be nice for New Jersey ..."

"To beat Iowa!" Jean interjected.

Sheri Berkery is the trending reporter at the Courier-Post, covering the topics that people are talking about on social media and in real life. If you think you have a story idea that’s a “talker,” contact her at 856.486.2673 or sberkery@gannettnj.com

Read or Share this story: https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2019/08/28/guinness-world-record-attempt-cornstalk-most-cobs-deptford-nj-iowa-corn-jersey-corn-tractor-supply/2096274001/